Black-out device



June 6, 1944. J. E. JOHNSON BLACK-OUT DEVICE Filed April 7, 1943 asheets-sheaf ATTORNEY Jeromg 5 ublmson.

Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED STATES iia'iEN'i" orrioe BLACK-OUT DEVICEJerome E. Johnson, New York, N. Y., assignor to Tension EnvelopeCorporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationApril 7, 1943, Serial No. 482,201

(01. rec-9c) 12 Claims.

This invention relates to black out devices particularly for coveringpanes of windows and the like to prevent escape of light rays from aninteriorly illuminated building, and has for its object to provide asimple and inexpensive device which is extremely effective when a blackout is necessary and which may be readily adjusted to admit daylightinto the building when desired.

Other objects are to provide a pane covering device capable ofconstruction from a material available during time of war such as paper,fiber sheets or the like; to provide black out devices wherein'slidemembers thereof may be left in position during daylight hours to serveas a sign; and to provide a blackout device that serves to support theglass in case of breakage.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved structure, the preferred form of which is illustratedin the accompanying drawings, whereint.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the inner face side of a black outdevice constructed in accordance with the present invention. 7

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view of the outer face side of thedevice. v

Fig. 3 is a view of the parts of'the black out device illustrated inspaced relation, the slide supporting member being shown partly folded.

Fig. 4 is a perspective. view of a portion of. a window showing one paneon which the opaque sealing material is applied, ready to receive ablack out device; another pane .covered by a black out device with theclosure slide in place; another pane with the envelope-like slidesupport in position with the closure slide removed; and another panewith the closure slide being inserted into the envelope-like supportthereon.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary. perspective sectional. v1ew through a. portionof the window and anv illumination to carry on the work in-whieh they.

may be engaged, and therefore some means is required to prevent escapeof light rays from they interior of the building. Lam aware that variousforms of black out devices are in use for such purpose but they are highin price, difiicult to install, and do not make a complete black out.

In carrying out the presentinvention, I provide a'simple and inexpensiveblack out device 1 formed of opaque fiberboard, paper, or paper-likematerial suitably colored to absorb light and having sufficient body toretain its shape. The device I includes an envelope-like supportingstructure 2, folded from abl'ank 3 having shape to provide front andback portions dand 5, sealing flaps Sand 1, and a closure flap 8. Theflaps '6, l and 8 are preferably formed on the front portion 4 with theflap 8 located on'the side opposite a line of fold between the front andback portions so that when the back portion is folded to overlie theinner face ofthe front portion, the sealing flaps '6' and 1 may befolded over and sealed to the outer face of the back portion to form apocket 9 having an insert opening It coextensive witht'he closure flap8. The front and back portions are of a shape and size so that the foldsll, l2, l3 and I4, which constitute the edges of the envelope-likestructure fit closely against the side faces of'the mullions C orportions of the window frame when the device is applied. over the innerface of a pane D, as later described. 7

In order to admit light, when desired, the front and back'portions haveopenings 1 5 and Is therein of a size to leave a considerable marginalframe H but which are capable of passing the necessary amount of lightduring daylight hours. Insertable into the pocket-like frame is asliderlil of a size and shape closely following themember 2 so that theside and end edges l 92fi and ill-22 closely engage within the folds Il|2 and l3l4 to cover the openings l5 and i6 when a black out isnecessary. there being sufficient overlap by the margins. of the, frameto trapany light rays that might tend to leak around the edgesof theslide. The slide is preferably; formed of the samematerial' as themember 2 .so that it does not reflect light rays. The corners thereofare also preferably rounded to facilitate insertion of the slide. H V jIn order to retain the slide, the closure flap is preferably providedwith a string or flexible tie 23 that has oneend attached thereto by abutton 24 and is adapted to extend across the inner opening so that theopposite end may be wrapped about asimilar button 25.

In applying the black out devices, the inner face of the marginalportions of the panes D are painted with a non-reflecting opaqueadhesive 25, which preferably extends around the edge faces of themullions as indicated at 27. The devices are then pressed against thewindow panes so that the outer marginal edges seal firmly thereagainst.When thus applied and with the slides in place, the panes are completelycovered so that light rays from the interior of the building inserted bysliding them through the insert openings H), with the closure flaps 8serving as guides for facilitating entrance of the edges into the insertopening. The slide is pushed into position within the envelope-likeframe and the closure flap 8 is folded against the adjacent marginaledge of thebackportion 5. Thestring is then pas'sed'across to theopposite side and the free end is wound once around the button 25.

In cases where it .is not necessary to remove allthe closures 'or slidesl8 in admitting daylight, thosethat are left in position may have theexterior sides printed with'letters as indi cated at 28 so that' theymay be used as signs during-daylight hours.

'While I have particularly illustrated a string tie for thev closureflapyit is obvious thatother types of fasteners might be substitutedtherefor without departingfrom the spirit of the invention; Itis alsopossible to'omit the fastener and tuck the flap into the insert openingif desired.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a very efflcientblack out device which is inexpensive to produce and may .be constructedin large quantities on present'envelope manufacturing machines. It isalso obvious'the devices are easily applied to thepanes of a window andarereadily manipulated to admit exterior light or toeffect, a blackout.

What Iclaim and desire to secure by Letter Patent is: I I

1. A'black out-device including, a supporting member adapted to beattached in covering relation to a'window pane andvhaving an openintherethrough forpassing light, and a closure for andin said o ening andremovable from coveringrelation with said opening of the supportingmeznber i 2. A blackout device including, a slide supportingmember adapted to be attached in covering relation to a window paneandhaving an opening therethrough for passing light, a slide mounted insaid supporting member to close said opening and removable from saidopeningyand means for -positively retaining the slide in closingposition. v r g 3. A black out device for window and like openingsincluding. an envelope-like support n frame having an insert opening ata side edge thereof and having light passing'openings in the respectivesides thereof adapted to be re istered with a window opening, and aclosure for said openings insertable into the envelope-like sun porting.frame through said insert opening for covering the window opening- 4. Ablack out device including, an envelopelike supporting frame havingfront and back portions provided with registering light passing openingsin said portions, and a closure movable within. the envelope-likesupporting frameto cover, said light passing openings.

5. A black out device including an envelopelike supporting frame havingfront and back portions and provided with an insert opening at a sideedge thereof said front and back portions having registering lightpassing openings therein, a slide in the envelope-like supporting frameand movable through the insert opening to uncover said light passingopenings, and a closure flap for said insert opening to retain saidslide in opening closing position.

6. A black out device including, an envelopelike supporting frame havingfront and back portions and provided with an insert opening at a sideedge thereof, said front and back portions having registering lightpassing openings therein, a slide insertable into the envelope-likesupporting frame through said insert opening, a closure flap for saidinsert opening to retain said slide, and means for retaining the closureflap in closed position.

7. A black out device including, an envelopelikesupporting frame havingfront and back portions and provided with an insert opening at a sideedge thereof said front and back portions having registering lightpassing openings therein, a closure insertable into the envelope-likesupporting frame through said insert opening, a flap for said insertopening to retain said closure, a button onsaid flap and said supportingframe respectively, and a flexible tie fixed to one of said buttons andhaving removable connection with the other.

8. In combination with a frame and a transparent pane carriedby saidframe, an adhesive of opaque properties applied'to margins of the pane,a black out device including a member covering the pane and havingsealing contact with the adhesive, said member having an openingtherethrough for passing light, and a removable closure member for saidopening.

9. A black out device including, an envelopelike supporting frame havingfront and back portions provided with an insert opening at a side edgethereof, said front and backportions having registering light passingopenings therein, a slide movable in the envelope-like supporting framethrough, the insert opening to cover said light passing openings, aclosure flap-for'said insert opening to retain said slide, buttons onsaid closure flap and said supporting frame, and a flexible tie fixed toone of said buttons and having removable connection with the other.

10. In combination with a frame and a transparent pane carried by saidframe, an opaque adhesive applied to margins of the pane, a black outdevice including an envelope-like structure covering the pane and havingsealing contact with the adhesive, said device having openings forpassing light, and a slide insertable into said enveiope-like structureto close said openings.

11. In combination with a window having a transparent window pane, anenvelope-like structure covering the pane and having openin s forpassing light, a slide removably supported in said envelope-likestructure, and means securin

